Brothers
by katerinaaqu
Summary: Edward Elric was called to war and he has to live his mother and brother behind...Just a drama based on a song! Please review!
1. The Call of War

Risembool. One small town at the East Quarters of Amestris…it was a warm sunny day and everything seemed to be running soothingly. The green grass was cool and nice and the blue, quiet river was flowing lazily, shining under the hot, and summer sun. People were working as usual. Down the river two boys were fighting.

"Hya!" a blond boy with short hair kicked

"Argh!" the other blond one with long hair blocked it.

The younger boy with the short hair and the hazel eyes attacked again. The elder man's golden eyes narrowed as he blocked the attack and attacked back. The younger boy blocked it! The sun was shining over them. Sweat was shining on their bodies. The elder man had let his torso bare and the sweat was glistering on his hard muscles. A scar was on the top of his right arm. It seemed like an animal byte. It was a fox bite he got when he was a little kid. The younger boy was wearing a thin sleeveless shirt but it was clear that his body was quite good too! Another attack and both blocked each other's attack at the same time! They remained there panting heavily for some seconds and then they relaxed and smiled.

"This was good Al!" the elder man said brushing some of his sweaty hear aside from his eyes.

The boy named Al smiled panting as well.

"Thanks. You were awesome too, Nii-san…"

The blond man walked to the closest tree to pick his own shirt up and wiped his sweat with it.

"I think that's enough for today" he said

"Yes…you're right"

The two brothers started walking up the hill so they would go home. Their names were Edward and Alphonse Elric. They were sons of Trisha Elric and Von Hoenheim. Their father though had died in war when they were both little kids. Alphonse was thirteen years old now and Edward was eighteen. However Edward was more passionate than Al. Sometimes people could say that he was immature but still he had a golden heart. Alphonse was shyer and more collected than his brother. He was calmer than Ed and he preferred to think before he acted. Also he had more sensitive heart! With one look everyone could see they were really close with each other. Edward passed an arm around his little brother's shoulders as they kept walking.

"Let's go!" he said cheerfully, "I am starving! I hope Mom has something good for lunch today! I think it was stew!"

"Nii-san! You are always thinking of food!" Alphonse teased him.

Edward burst out laughing. However if he acted cheerful and normal, he was afraid deep inside. War was still on going in Ishbal. So he knew that sooner or later they would need more men to go to the war. He wasn't afraid to go there. He was afraid that they would ask him to go and then he would have to leave his brother and mother behind along with his childhood friend and fiancée Winry Rockbell. He didn't want to leave them behind. Alphonse looked at his brother and realized what he was thinking about. And he was afraid of the same thing! He didn't want his big brother to leave him and go to the war. They reached their home and they saw their beautiful mother waiting for them. Even though she wasn't young anymore her age wasn't visible! She still had the young face she used to have! Her hair was still brown and long.

"Hay!" Edward yelled

"Mom, we're home!"

She smiled to them waving at them while seeing them approaching running up the heel.

"Welcome home you two!" she told them, "Alphonse, you better go and take a shower! I want Edward carry something for me first!"

"Yes, mom!" Alphonse said and ran in the house.

Trisha looked at Edward and turned serious.

"Do you have any news from the war?"

Edward shook his head.

"No. Newspapers don't have something new to say!"

Trisha wanted to say something but Edward raised the heavy basket and took it at the back of the house. Trisha followed him.

"Edward…"

Edward looked at her. Trisha's hands went to his ponytail and undid the string that was holding them leaving the youth's long, golden hair flow free like a waterfall of melted gold. She ran her fingers through his hair softly. Even though Edward was not taller than her, he hardly had the same height as her, he was well-built so Trisha seemed smaller in front of him…more fragile.

"You look so much like your father…when he was in your age…" she whispered.

Suddenly she seemed older.

"…You and Alphonse…are the only ones left of me…"

Her hands traveled down his chest.

"…If I lose you…I don't know what I'll do…"

Edward touched her shoulders softly.

"Mom, you won't lose me okay? Neither Al nor me! We are both here, okay? No matter what"

She nodded her head but still she was feeling a fist in her stomach. She was afraid that her happiness with her children wouldn't last long…

* * *

The rains came and autumn entered their little town. One night Alphonse and Edward where sitting in the living room and Trisha was in the kitchen cooking. The phone rang. Edward stood up.

"I'll get it!"

He went to the hall and picked up the phone.

"Hello? Elric residence"

Alphonse had a bad feeling in his heart…he walked carefully and without making a sound and walked till the door. Hidden there he watched Edward talking to the phone.

"Hello…? Oh! It's you…yes…what…?"

Alphonse noticed that Edward's body language had changed! Suddenly he was standing straight and his motions where now careful and few! As if he was saluting someone, except he wasn't using his hands at all!

"Uh-huh…I see…no, no I understand… Is the situation that bad…?"

And then he saw his brother's face darkening. His eyes narrowed and his hand that was holding the phone clenched slightly.

"No, sir….I understand…uh-huh…uh-huh… When am I supposed to…oh, that soon…I see…uh-huh…I understand…no, sir! Thank you sir. Okay. Good night"

And so Edward hung the phone up and let out a long sigh. Alphonse quickly ran to sit back in the coach. He managed just in time before Edward got in.

"Who was on the phone?"

Edward smiled a little but Alphonse could tell for sure it was a fake smile. Something was fishy! Something wasn't right at all!

"It was for an appointment" he answered but gave no other information.

* * *

At dinner Edward was irritably silent! He rarely ever was like that! He kept looking towards Al and Trisha from time to time and clenched his teeth and then immediately go back to his food. However for the first time he seem to have such a small appetite. As if he wasn't enjoying the food anymore and it didn't matter the fact that it was delicious. Al went up to prepare himself to sleep but no matter how much he tried he couldn't sleep. He then heard voices coming from downstairs and saw some light coming through the keyhole. Were his mom and brother still awake? Why? Slowly and carefully, barefoot, he walked to the door and opened it slowly. Again, walking on his tiptoes he walked till the stairs. From there he could see the door leading to the dining room open and the only light was coming from there. He bent down to see Edward and Trisha there.

"What is it Edward?" Trisha asked.

Edward was silent. Strangely silent!

"We need to talk, Mom" he said sitting down on his chair.

Trisha sat on the other side of the table, facing him. A long pause followed till finally Edward spoke.

"I received a call today…it was the Major Maes Hughes. Things are bad at Ishbal. Also a serious disease hit them! People are dying every day"

"Oh, my God!" Trisha mumbled

"The problem is…that they need backup"

Alphonse was holding his breath! Trisha had begun to shake slightly.

"What…what do you mean Edward…?"

"Mom…"

Edward took Trisha's hands within his softly and tenderly.

"…They are calling me to go to the front line…"

Alphonse's heart seemed to have stopped! Trisha gasped and brought her hands to her mouth. In her face she could see pure pain and fear!

"No…" she croaked out and her voice was barely above a whisper. "No…no…no…"

She was whispering the same thing again and again like a broken record! She couldn't believe it! She just wanted to wake up from the nightmare.

"Edward…no…no!"

Edward shook his head.

"I have no choice…it was a command. It is impossible for me to say no…"

He got up and wrapped his arms around her softly. She was also standing now and she had grabbed his shirt tightly as if this was the only thing that would keep her alive! She looked like a frightened little girl that wanted protection! Edward was keeping her there trying to comfort her.

"Shhhh…Mom…you must be strong."

Alphonse was feeling his heart ready to break. He was feeling as if he was torn in two by two, different feelings. Right now he was feeling such an admiration for his brother! He was seeing him like a hero! Like someone really wonderful! However the sadness…the fear…they where all too much!

"And…when…when are you leaving…?" Trisha mumbled between her sobs and hiccups.

Edward sighed.

"Unfortunately…I am leaving tomorrow with the first morning train…"

Trisha's sobs increased and became louder! She grabbed her son as if she waned to draw him back in her body again and she was saying through her sobs:

"No! No! No, I won't let you leave me! No! No, Edward!"

Edward was only holding her, unable to find the proper words to make her feel better. Alphonse was in tears now! He couldn't let his brother leave them…leave him! He ran there not being able to hold himself anymore!

"Nii-san!" he yelled running to him.

Edward turned around to look at him.

"Al!" he exclaimed surprised.

Alphonse was looking at him in tears. He wasn't able to hold them!

"Nii-san! Are you leaving? Are you really going?"

Edward sighed.

"Yes, Al. I am going."

"No! No please don't leave us!"

"I can't Al!"

"I'll come with you!"

"No Al!"

Trisha then still crying her eyes out pushed Edward softly and ran out of the room. Edward sighed for another time and hugged Alphonse.

"I need you to be strong for her Al. Please. When I am off I want to feel better to know that Mom is all right! I want you to take care of her. Please Al. I am asking you this as a favor"

Alphonse only nodded. It was the only thing he could do…

* * *

Next morning Edward was at the door. His suitcase was on the floor. He was dressed in his brown pants and his white shirt. He was also wearing his long, brown trench coat and his golden hair was caught in a ponytail. Trisha hugged him tightly. He hugged her back. Alphonse then saw from his room's window Edward taking his suitcase from the floor and then waving to her good-bye and started walking down the hill. Trisha was still crying. Alphonse then ran down the stairway in tears and then through the front door and ran after him.

"Nii-san!" he yelled and Edward stopped and turned around, "Please don't go! Come back! I'll do anything! Anything you want! Anything just stay here with us! I'll clean your room! Give you all my things! Anything! Just…don't go!"

And his tears were running freely. Edward smiled to him and then shook his head with the same smile on his lips. Then looked at him and said:

"This is what brothers are for…"

Alphonse had frozen there. Edward hugged him one last time before waving to him and leave slowly leaving Alphonse behind…to follow the drum of war… Alphonse sank in his knees…and cried…

* * *

"Departure!" the stationmaster called.

The train whistled twice and people started getting in. Most of them were young men like him. They were going to war. Edward got in the train too. His eyes in the color of melted gold where looking around. The station was too crowded and the men's siblings were waving to them goodbye in tears. Edward sighed again and then climbed in the train as it started to leave for Ishbal.

"This is what brothers are for…" he whispered.

* * *

**This is a story I came up with! At the begining I thought of writing a one-shot but in the end I came up with a small story. Also I chose Alphonse's and Edward's ages to be like in the Movie The Conqueror of Shaballa. So Edward is 18 and Alphonse is 13. Edward is called to go to the war at Ishbal. Yes here Trisha is alive and Hoenheim is dead! Fallen at war!**

**I was inspired by the song Brothers by Dean Brody**

**I hope you liked it! Please review! And Enjoy!**


	2. Letters

Days were passing soothingly and life in Risembool seemed to be going on like nothing had happened. That afternoon too… The last rays of the sun were over the town, painting the sky with different colors. Alphonse Elric was walking by the riverbank alone. His head was lowered and sometimes he was looking over the hills with eyes that were burning again from the tears that were threatening to flow again.

"I miss you Nii-san…I miss you so much…"

He walked to his home. He didn't found his mother there happy. Trisha was looking to the sky that was painted golden-crimson. Her eyes were distant…as if she was looking at a vision no one else could see. She seemed like talking to the dead or something. Alphonse was feeling his heart slit in two. She was always like this in the evenings since Edward had left. She was always trying to act cheerful and nice as always when she was in front of him but Alphonse could see that she was faking it…or more accurately she wanted to make herself believe that too! She wanted to see Edward walk on the hill…back home again…smiling and waving at them…asking what was for dinner tonight…

"Mom…" he whispered.

Trisha turned to look at him.

"Oh…Alphonse…" she whipped a tear that was flowing from her eye

He didn't answer her. He knew how much pain she was being through. Trisha sighed.

"The sky…is burning like fire…it looks so much like his eyes…" she whispered.

Alphonse had promised to himself not to cry…to be strong but he couldn't! He rushed in his mother's arms and cried again.

"I miss him, Mom…I want my brother back!"

Trisha wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly…as if holding her last hope in her arms!

"Me too, sweetheart…I miss him…" her eyes were also watery now, "C-Come on now, Alphonse…you're…you're a big boy now aren't you…" she was saying.

She had told him before…when Edward was with them. He had hit his knee and he had started to cry so she had told him that. But now…she was also crying…and she couldn't convince him the way she had done before. He pulled back and she wiped her tears again.

"Dinner is ready…you should…wash your hands first Alphonse…"

Alphonse nodded and headed inside. Later on he was in his room again, under the small light of his nigh table. He held out some papers and a pen. He was ready to write another letter to his brother. He wished he could give him a call at least. At least to hear his voice…but he knew that there, in battlefield there were no phones for them to talk to, therefore only letters could reach them…and even letters were delaying or even never reached their destination. He wiped his tears again and started to write another letter…hoping it would reach him! Hoping he would get an answer!

"_Nii-san,_

_Things here are so hard since the day you left from us! I wish I could still see your face…see your smile! I wish I could at least hear your voice…but it is impossible. You are there and I am here. You have no idea how much I hate myself every night! Every morning! Every day! Every time I eat my food I hate myself! I am thinking about you. Do you have any food there? Do you eat properly? Every time I have a nice shower or a hot bath I feel awful! Do you have the chance to have a bath? Do you even wash yourself, even with frozen water? When I get in our house and I lock the door I wish I hadn't! Do you have a place to sleep? Or you sleep outside no matter what weather there is? Or even…do you sleep at all? Nii-san I miss you too much! I don't even know where you are! Where are you…?"_

Alphonse wiped some tears that were flowing from his eyes and were bothering him from seeing and then he continued.

_"…Everyone misses you Nii-san! Mom is always looking towards the direction you left! Hoping that she will see you coming up and hug her again like the old times! Winry misses you too…I am telling you that many men have been around her since the day you left. However she has been turning down each one of them for you! She is praying for you to come back safe and sound! We all are! Nii-san…I miss you! Do you remember our pillow fights at nights…even when we are in this age? I miss them! I miss the calm mornings we used to be together outside…our mock-battles…I miss all of you! I miss having you around the house…Nii-san…I miss you! I wish I at least knew…where you are…I wish I knew…where are you?"_

* * *

Kilometers away…at the nation of Ishbal…a land in the middle of the desert, soldiers were sitting around of small campfires talking or having some hot drink. It was already dark, in the beginning of the night and had started being cold. They were talking with each other and they were sharing some cigarettes once in a while. The tents were all around. They were all dirty and sometimes they had holes. It had been long ago since the last time someone sent them material to maintain them! The soldiers were in a similar state. They were all dirty and tired from all that battle. The settlements were in a deserted area just outside from a destroyed city. War had taken life out of them all… Somewhere away, near a small fire, a blond soldier with his long hair caught up in a ponytail, brought a cigarette to his mouth and then blew out some smoke. He smiled a small smile as he was reading the lines of the letter he was holding.

_"…I pass my time here with Winry sometimes but now I rarely see her. She's leaving for Rush Valley you know…she is trying to learn as much for the Auto-Mails as possible…she comes back often though. She is always asking about you and your news. You see we are all worried about you! I honestly don't want to think about where you are, in heart of battle…in the middle of the War Zone down there in Ishbal…I wish you were here…please tell me…is there someone I can call? Tell me and I will! I will I swear! There must be someone there that can bring you back home! We all miss you! And all want you to come back! Do you remember when our Teacher had told us 'in order to train the brain, we'll have to train the body first'? I can't without you! When I go down the riverbank alone…I just feel like a huge hole is opened in my chest! We all miss you! Mom…Winry…Auntie Pinako…me…everyone misses you! And we are asking about you! Why? Why had war take you away from us? Why had this war take every single person from us? Why must people be getting killed for nothing? Nii-san please! Tell me what should I do to bring you back! I never wanted a hero! I wanted a brother! You are my hero Nii-san! No matter how you look at it, you are my hero! Freedom sometimes takes us things that we don't want to give away! Please Nii-san! There must be someone I can call…and maybe…just maybe they would let you come back home… Please write me back if you receive this! Please be fine and in one piece, Nii-san!_

_Lots of love and hugs,_

_Alphonse."_

Edward Elric smiled a small smile as he brought the cigarette back in his mouth and blew some smoke again. He was wearing the blue, army uniform. In the beginning it felt strange on him but now he was pretty used to it. To tell the truth…so many weeks in battlefield…nothing seemed to be able to bother him ever again! Some dark circles were under his eyes and he was slightly paler than he used to be. He was still smiling quite often but still he knew that he had changed. He had taken so many lives in battlefield… He had killed so many people…he had smelled the blood…he had heard the gunshots…he had heard the battle cries… He never even counted how many lives he had taken…however he knew… In war it was "kill or die". He might not remember how many he had killed…but he surely remembered the first one. It was a small kid…around thirteen. He had ran in the battlefield towards the direction he remembered he had shot his first gunshot…and he saw it…it was lieing on the ground…dirty from the dirt of the ground and from its own blood…the blood that was flowing from his stomach… He was holding his stomach and he was bleeding really badly…blood was coming out of his mouth as well…no one around to help him…no one around to cry for him…Edward approached him as if he was in a daze. The boy had looked up at him…and looked at him in a begging way. His eyes showed him that he was in pain…that he wanted this pain to end…but he didn't want to die. Edward had kneeled next to him and touched him softly. Death was the only thing he could see…

Death…just death…

Someone was calling him but he wasn't listening. The child was holding his hand tightly. Edward couldn't help but being surprised.

"So much strength…coming from this child… How much strength can death give you?" he had thought.

That strength though had gone and the child sighed. He was suffering. He smiled to the child softly…and closed its eyes with his hand. The child didn't have strength to re-open them. Edward took his gun…the one that had shot that very first bullet and raised it, with its bayonet pointing down. Someone was calling…but he wasn't listening. And with one swift move…he stabbed…and ended the child's suffering…forever… The next thing he did was remain in a shock…his stomach was twitching…and when they came back to the settlements…he had gone to the ditch that was the restroom…and he threw up…

He now remembered that like a dream…as if it didn't happen for real! It was too awful for him… Somewhere close by, a man with short black hair approached a water container and splashed some water on his face. He raised his head and saw the young man sitting by himself. He sighed and took two cups of hot coffee with him and walked to him.

"Elric! Elric!"

Edward raised his head to see them man looking down at him with the two metal mugs with hot coffee.

"Oh. Hay, Colonel!" he said with a small smile.

Colonel Roy Mustang smiled slightly at the man's behavior. He hadn't even bothered to stand up and salute his superior but he greeted him like an old friend. He gave him one of the two mugs.

"I didn't know you smoked." he told him.

Edward scoffed a little.

"Everyone smokes in the front line." he told him as a matter of fact.

Roy smiled too.

"You're right" he sat next to him, "Give me one too"

"Here you go…"

"Thank you"

Roy started searching his pockets for matches. Edward managed to find a box in his own pockets and lit Roy's cigarette for him. Roy blew out some smoke.

"What are you reading? Letters?"

Edward smiled and nodded.

"From your brother?"

Edward nodded again.

"He writes me every night…however only the half of them reach us in the end…"

He took a sip from his coffee. It was black and bitter just the way he liked it…or more accurately, the way they made him like it! He was still holding all the letters, Alphonse had sent to him.

"You miss them, don't you?"

"Who doesn't miss his loved ones?" he paused. "Al is writing me that everyone is fine though. And I am happy to hear that Winry is following her dream!"

Roy smirked a little.

"Winry? Your woman?"

Edward looked at him with a smirk as well.

"She is not my woman. She's my fiancée"

"That's what I said!"

"She is my fiancée! Not my woman! There is a difference!"

Roy smiled

"Whatever…"

Roy sighed and leaned back sipping his coffee as well. He then drove the cigarette back to his mouth and blew out the smoke watching at the stars.

"You know" he said, "It is good to have someone to talk to as equals…someone who treats you like a friend and not like a superior. Of course in battlefield is different but still…"

Edward looked up too and lazily made a small circle with the smoke.

"You're right at that, Roy…we need it here that we seem forgotten…in this enemy land…"

Roy looked at him.

"It is good that you have someone to wait for you back in your hometown"

"Hmm…" Edward replied absent-mindedly.

Both of them remained silent for a little while smoking till Edward spoke.

"Just look at us…we're a mess…"

Roy smiled a small, fake smile.

"Yeah…but judging by the reason they brought new ones here it will end soon…at least that's what I hope…Winter is coming…"

Edward was looking in the fire lost in his thoughts.

"What are you going to do when you go back home, Roy?"

"Huh?" he looked surprised but then shrugged "I don't know. What about you? What will be the first thing you'll do?"

"The first thing I'll do? Oh, I will fill my bathtub with boiling hot water…and I'll remain there three days!"

Roy and Edward laughed but then Edward said.

"Maybe then I'll have washed all that blood from me…"

Roy looked at him.

"Yes…you're right." He then looked at him, "Edward, I have met many people here before and after the civil war. I have seen the look of their eyes change…becoming the eyes of a murderer. But you…I can still see eyes that burn like fire. I can see you are still optimistic for the future."

Edward blew some smoke.

"Optimistic huh?" he smiled a bitter smile, "I am not optimistic. I am just stubborn, that's all! I made a promise to my mother that I would stay with her and I broke that promise. Now I made a promise to come back and I will even if I go back in pieces!"

"Then it wouldn't make any difference if you went back dead!"

Edward scoffed.

"And I thought I was the cynical one!"

Roy smiled back.

"No. I don't think you are more than me! But what makes you so sure you will return after all while so many people, more experienced than you have left their bones in here? Have you made a deal with God or something?"

"There is no such thing as God!" Edward said coldly. "However there must be some kind of paradise out there somewhere cause here is hell!"

Roy looked at him with mixed emotions inside him. But he wasn't surprised. He believed the same thing.

"I can't believe it that you lost your faith!" said with bitter irony in his voice.

"Roy…I killed a boy in the age of my own brother! And who knows how many people after him! How can I believe that there is a God out there protecting me while I am stuck here, abandoned by emotions and dreams? When I am away from those who love me and I am now a common murderer? Actually…it doesn't favor me to believe that there is a God cause if there actually was…I am sure that soon I'd burn to hell for my sins here!"

This time Roy was surprised. He wasn't expecting such a cynical answer coming out from the lips of an eighteen-year-old man! He sighed as he blew some smoke.

"Everyone remembers his first victim…the first man he ever shot. I felt this way too. It is ironic though. I became a soldier knowing very well that I would be sent to war sooner or later and yet…at times like this…I wish I were home. A common worker!"

"Yes, you're right. It is the most ironic thing in the world!" Edward said bitterly

"No, I can think of something even more ironic!"

"Oh yeah? And that would be…?"

"Well…it has started getting really cold…and we're still in Ishbal!"

Edward's head snapped at Roy's direction and his eyes were widened as if he was still trying to understand what he had heard and then he scoffed before bursting out in loud laughter. Roy laughed with him too.

"You're definitely something else, Colonel!" he said laughing and threw the cigarette butt in the fire.

Roy threw his too.

"Why do you fight then, Elric? If you feel so much guilt, why do you keep fighting?"

"It's simple…I don't want to die! It's as simple as that…"

"Yes…you're right. Sometimes it is terribly simple"

He looked at him and put his hand on the younger man's shoulder.

"It wasn't your fault. You were following orders. There was nothing you could do. Kill or you'll get killed. War does that to people. But we must collect our last humanity once we're back."

Edward smiled to him and placed his hand on Roy's on his shoulder.

They remained silent for a little while. As if they were both keeping a minute of silence for the thousands of people that had got lost in that terrible war…

"I just can't believe it!"

"Believe what, Elric?"

"That we are fighting the whole day and we keep killing people and…in the evening we are just sitting around the fire, enjoying our cigarette like nothing happened!"

"Yes. You can say that, but nothing would come up if we simply cried for our fate right?"

"Right…"

Edward held the small cigarette package in his hand.

"Do you want another one?" he asked

"Nah! I'll pass" Roy responded, "I prefer to have one per day."

Edward scoffed a little.

"What do you know…and I thought I was the only one who did that!" and put the package back in his uniform pocket.

He then took out a silver pocket watch and looked at it.

"Nice watch"

"Thanks. Winry and Al gave it to me as a present for my eighteenth birthday…"

He opened it. Inside it was engraved, "Don't forget. Oct. 11"

"What is this?" Roy raised a brow.

"Ah, this? It is the date when…I got the call to come here! I wanted to make sure always to carry this date with me. It also helps me count the time better…"

Roy looked at him with sympathy.

"I see…" he mumbled

A bell was heard.

"Dinner is ready. You better come, Edward so you won't miss it, and then get some sleep. You'll need your strength for the battlefield."

Edward nodded.

"I'll be there shortly"

"Let me guess. You're righting back at him!"

Edward smiled.

"Indeed."

"How many times do you write the same letter as a response? Three?"

"Five times! I want to make sure that is going to reach him!"

Roy rolled his eyes with a small smile.

"Fine. Do as you please. Just don't stay up late! Go to rest! That's an order!"

"Yes, sir!" Edward saluted using only his hand, with a smile.

Roy smiled too and started walking away. Edward remained silent next to the fire for a little while and let out a long sigh. Next he took out of his pocket a pen and some white papers, dirty with dirt and something that seemed like dried blood. He sighed and put the paper on a rock beside him. He then collected his thoughts, drew a deep breath and started writing the answer to his little brother that he missed that much…and his silver watch was ticking the time…steadily and quietly…

* * *

**Here is the second chappie! I know it is long and...maybe a bit boring but I wanted to add another emotional chapter! Apparently Alphonse is writing to his brother Edward and Edward is in Ishbal living all the hard time of war! A quite long, phylosophical dialog between him and Roy!**

**Yes here the silver watch is just a gift from Winry and Alphonse and yes! I just love Ed in uniform!**

**And also I don't like Ed smoking! I just watched a film on Cynema in Christmas that showed people in World War I and one of them had said "Everybody smokes in the intrenchment" So I wanted to have him smoke a cigarette a day or something cause the soldiers needed something to enjoy or something like that...well yeah**


	3. Letters (Part 2)

It was a sunny, winter day in Risembool. The sun was bright in the middle of the sky but still it was freezing-cold. Small kids were running around laughing and playing. They didn't have to go to school cause the Winter Festival was close. Winter was in for good. Alphonse Elric was walking with his hands in the pockets of his jacket while walking in the streets of the small village. His thoughts were at Edward and at the Winter Festival. It was a festivity that people were celebrating it with their families. But now his family was broken apart! His father had died in war years ago…his mother was in the worst shape and his brother…his brother was far away, in War Zone and no one could tell him for sure if he lived or died! The letters he had been writing him were the only clue he had that his brother was at least alive. However what if he was not fine in his health? What if he was wounded? What if he was awfully sick? What if he was captured or he was missing? The letters needed great amount of time to reach the War Zone –if they reached it in the end- and it took even more time to come back from the War Zone, therefore no one could guarantee if his brother was alive now or if he was dead by the time he was reading the lines on that stained piece of paper! The cold air was hitting his face making his nose turn red and his fingers were frozen in his pockets.

"Does my brother have something to keep him warm? Is he all right? Oh, Nii-san how much I miss you!" he was thinking.

That entire happy atmosphere around him was only making him feel worse! Those kids were too little to understand or they didn't even know! Anyway Alphonse never bragged about his brother being at war. Many boys in his class were bragging about their fathers and brothers that they were brave heroes at war but not him! He just wanted his brother back! He then saw too much crowd around someone. He went closer to see. He saw it was the postman.

"Hay, please! Not all together! One at a time, please! Yes, I have it! Yes, letters from the War Zone!"

"The War Zone?!" Alphonse thought as his heart skipped beat!

"Nii-san!" he screamed and ran there.

Suddenly he found himself pushing to get through that crowd and he finally reached the postman! He grabbed his blue coat as if he was desperate.

"Anything for me? Please! Alphonse Elric!"

The postman touched his moustache in a thought and then took his brown bag that was full of letters.

"Let me see…Alphonse Elric…Alphonse Elric…hmm…Elric…Elric…"

That suspense would be enough to kill poor Alphonse! What if the answer was "no"? What if he had no letters for him? Or worse…what if the letter he got was something that was saying "We are sorry to inform you that your brother died in battle"? He had clasped his hands together waiting for the answer.

"Alphonse Elric…Ah! Here you are!"

The postman drew out an envelope.

"You have a letter from someone Edward Elric"

"My brother!" Alphonse yelled and grabbed the letter!

He had grabbed it like a hungry man grabs the bread! He took it and walked away. He held the envelope in his hand and tore it revealing the letter. With shaking hands opened it and sighed in relief when he saw the well-known, left-handed handwriting of Edward's. This letter was definitely written by him! He was feeling shaking with happiness for a moment but he didn't read it yet. The tears in his eyes wouldn't leave him so he hid it in his pocket like the most precious treasure in the world and started to run towards his house. He didn't stop anywhere as if something had put wings in his feet. He ran up the hill and reached the house.

"Mom! Mom!" was yelling.

He opened the door happily and rushed in shouting:

"Mom! Look! I got a letter from Nii-…san"

The reason he had stopped and glanced in the house with a horrified look was the fact that when he got in he had seen Trisha on the floor with her eyes closed. The small vegetable basket she was holding had fallen carelessly on the floor.

"Mom!" he screamed and ran to her

He kneeled next to her. Trisha's face was shocked in sweat. He touched her and felt her flesh burning!

"Mom! Mom! Mom!"

And tears were running from his eyes but this time…they were tears of pain again…

* * *

Later on Trisha was lieing in her bed and Winry was putting a wet rug on her forehead softly. The doctor was closing his black bag.

"Well? What's wrong with her? Will she be fine?!" Alphonse begged

"Do not worry young man. Your mother will recover. She has just bottled up too much sadness and stress in her heart these days. She will need rest that's all."

Trisha let out a shaking breath in her sleep making all of them look at her.

"H-Honey…" she whispered in a barely noticeable voice, "…Ed…Edward…"

Alphonse looked at the doctor again almost in tears. The doctor put a hand on the teen's shoulder.

"Don't worry. I have written a prescription for her. She will be fine"

"Thank you doctor…thank you so much…"

Trisha was still breathing weakly in her sleep while whispering in her fever

"Ed…Edward…"

Winry was changing the rug on her forehead patiently touching her hand tenderly. The doctor left and Alphonse…was free to let himself to cry…

At night he went up to his room and switched a small light on. He then took the letter out of his jacket pocket and started to read the lines.

_"My little brother._

_Hay, Al! What's up? I was really happy to receive your letters. Believe it or not I get enough of them but it is not always possible to answer to them. I keep reading them at nights under a small candle. I was really relieved to hear that you are doing well! Also it was great to hear that Winry is practicing at Rush Valley! Finally she is able to follow her dream! Tell her one more time Al, how sorry I am that I didn't say goodbye to her before I left. Tell her that I am thinking of her all the time. That I love her. You're good at these words! I never was!"_

Alphonse giggled a small giggle through his tears and kept reading.

_"...Well I am fine too. Temperature is a strange thing here in Ishbal. In the morning the sun is burning our heads like fire and at nights it is getting freezing. Right now it is getting colder. Many of us have fallen sick while others are dying by illnesses. I think I had caught a cold once or twice but I am fine now. When it rains once in a while we have our tents as shelters, even if they are a bit…well bad quality they still help. Sometimes when the rain is too strong, there are holes at the tents so they can't hold much water away and we become wet to the bone! We must gather around fire after the storm in order to warm up and dry up. It is quite funny site to see us trembling all together! Food is never enough! Heh! How much I miss Mom's cooking! Anyway we are still alive and that's what matters. I met some friends here. We are telling some stories around fire sometimes. I am still laughing with some of them! I can't wait to tell them to you when I come home! I am not going to lie to you Al. War is horrible. I wish you'd never have to face the anger of those guns and never have to be dragged out of your home to come to an enemy land. I don't know what you believe of war but it is far worse! I am running among other people, armed and the others are yelling. I know that I am yelling with them. The battle cries are filling your ears. The gunshots are making you go deaf almost literally. And when you are in battle…you forget you are a human yourself! I have killed countless people like you and me! What does it matter if their skin and eyes are different? They still breathe, think, and feel. They are still humans like us! However when I get in war…I literally feel my mind get blank! I think of nothing else but survive! All those cries around me make me feel hatred beyond expectation with no real reason! And when I pull the trigger…I don't have time to feel shame or guilt! I just keep going. I kill without even thinking! Kill or you'll get killed! The sky is hidden behind the black smoke and the air stinks gunpowder and blood! Bodies are lieing around soulless and drowned in their own blood. Bullets everywhere! And blood…lot's of blood, Al! The ground is painted red. The sand drinks that blood like water but soon it stops! It can't take more blood anymore! We are running in pools of blood and I don't seem to notice! When I run in the battlefield I can only see red! I see my opponents as monsters! As bloodthirsty beasts! And I simply kill. Kill or you'll get killed! Some people might even call me a hero but honestly I don't see myself as better than a common murderer! If you told me back then in Risembool that I would kill, I would probably punch you but now… Oh, Al! I never knew that people could kill so easily! I didn't know that humans could end another human's life that easily! But still now I know that every time I take that gun in my hands…I am no longer human but a bloodthirsty monster! Honestly, Al, I realize what I have done only when the battle stops and look around. I wonder "Did I actually do this?" but still…I don't cry anymore. I don't feel my stomach twist anymore. That is what war does to you Al! That's why I am begging to any God you believe in –cause I don't believe in anything anymore- that you'd never have to face war in the front line Al! Ever! I don't want your beautiful soul to be corrupted! Alright, I stop here cause I have scared you enough! I am fine in my health! I was also lucky. In battle I nearly got shot countless times. I heard the bullet near my ear but never actually hurt. I got injured really lightly once or twice. Only in my leg and I recovered almost immediately. It seems that I am luckier than I thought if you think how many people die! You said that you don't train your body that much anymore huh? Well the irony is that here we train our bodies a lot! It is our mind and spirit that is not training at all and we are now more violent than wild animals! How I miss our mock-fights too! I am sorry but it appears that I won't be home for Winter Festival this year! And Al please do not thing about that! I can't go back just yet! They need me here Al and you have to understand that! If I leave now, then our family will be reduced to the point of "traitors" and I would never do that to you! I know that you probably don't care but still I am your older brother and the oldest male Elric in family! It is my duty to do so! After all…that's what brothers are for…_

_Give Mom a kiss from me and tell her how much I miss her…and Winry too. (Yeah of course you can't kiss her the way I do but still…) yes I know I don't have the best of humor these days! Anyway in Winter Festival when you eat your delicious apple pie eat one piece for me too! I love you all and I miss you! All of you!_

_Edward Elric"_

Alphonse was still holding the letter in his trembling hand. His brother wouldn't come back from that terrible place after all! He wouldn't be there in that wonderful time of the year! Crossed his arms over the desk, bent his head over them and started to cry. Winry opened the door softly and got in.

"Al? What's wrong?"

She then saw the letter and kind of understood what was going on. She took the letter and red each line carefully while caressing Alphonse on the back to comfort him. A small and bitter smile appeared in her lips.

"I see…" she whispered, "So he won't be coming back after all… 'This is what brothers are for' he said…? He is trying so much to play tough…that stubborn idiot…"

* * *

Back at War Zone again… It was night and battle was over one more time. Someone prefixed his tin plate for the soldier-cook to put the food in. The man put a spoonful of that soup they had in the plate. Edward Elric took his food and went to sit by the fire. Some more soldiers were sitting there. Some of them were eating while others were simply blowing warm breaths on their hands to make them warmer. Edward sat by the fire as well and started eating quietly. He didn't hear steps behind him.

"Yo!" someone called.

He raised his head.

"Oh! Good evening Hughes!"

Maes Hughes smiled and raised a brow playfully looking over his glasses.

"I thought you were left-handed! Or at least that's what I thought when I saw you writing!"

Edward looked at his right hand that was holding the spoon as if seeing it for the first time.

"Ah! Only when I write!"

Hughes smiled again.

"I see…"

He sat next to Edward that kept eating.

"How is your leg? Better?"

"Ah, yes. Much better, thanks Hughes. I'll try to be more careful next time."

"Heh, you are lucky that you simply sprained your ankle. It could have been worse."

Edward rubbed a small bruise in his arm.

"Nah! Those Ishbalans are nothing comparing to my Teacher!" he said in a bitter humor.

"Your teacher huh? How is she?"

Edward lowered his spoon.

"She died when I was around seventeen years old…" he said

"Oh…I am sorry…"

"It's okay. She had an incurable disease. She was vomiting blood all the time. She was delivered when she passed away… It was just…she was so tough and strong that sometimes me and Al, forgot how sick she was."

"I see…what kind of person was she?"

Edward scoffed and smiled a small smile.

"She was sensitive but she never let her sensitive side to be seen. Anyway, she gave us quite a beating up!"

Hughes laughed.

"I see!"

He poured the spoonful back in his plate without eating and said.

"Jeez! This thing is nasty!"

"You shouldn't be the one complaining, Hughes!"

"Ha! You're right!" looks up, "This weather reminds me that it is time for Winter Festival…"

"Yes…it appears we won't make it back till then this year!"

"Yeah…this sucks!"

He then smiled playfully and said –knowing what would follow! -

"Your woman is waiting too!"

Edward shot him with a playful glare.

"What's wrong with you people? She is my fiancée not my woman!"

Hughes chuckled.

"My, my! You really like telling things with their name aren't you?"

"And you are the same with that Colonel!" Edward answered back with a grin

Hughes turned serious for a second.

"Yes…it appears that Roy trusts you and cares about you a lot…"

Edward's grin fell into a simple smile.

"Indeed…and I wonder why!"

"Because he sees himself in you" and seeing Edward's look he continued, "He wasn't much older than you when he got his first call to go to war. He was a simple soldier back then. He was one of the best when they were training them and soon, in war he became a hero and his rank became higher. He has taken part in many wars and he has done things he regretted many times, so he promised to himself that he would release this country from war. Inside you…he sees himself the way he was when he was eighteen years old. Sees a fire in your eyes…a fire that desires to go back home and hold your loved ones tightly. He sees your determination to protect them and your country and also sees your struggle to keep your humanity even in this madness of war. And he might not show it but he wishes deep inside you will be able to survive and go back to your home safe and sound…"

Edward remained there holding his food and bread. Those things he had just listened seemed so true now! But still they hit his heart!

"That darn Colonel!" murmured with a smile.

Hughes smiled too. Edward sighed once.

"Three more soldiers died in the infirmary tent this morning…they finally delivered by the high fever that was torturing them…" Hughes whispered.

Edward looked at him and then threw another small wood in the fire.

"What are we doing here anyway? Killing people like us! People that have dreams like us! People who simply desire to live!"

"It wasn't our choice, Ed. Some other people above us are holding all the pieces of this game and they are doing whatever they want! It is easier for them to do that from their chairs and offices!"

"However are our hands that are painted with blood! It is our humanity that is getting lost! It is our life that is ruined! And it is us who are losing their houses and families to come here, with only purpose to become murderers!"

Hughes smiles again. Goodness! That man never lost his smile, as it seemed!

"That's correct Ed! But the only thing we can hope for is to go back home again!"

Then a man came and saluted Hughes giving him a letter. Hughes thanked him and sat down again.

"OHHHHHH!" said as his face expression changed into the one of a crazy little boy! "My beautiful Future! A letter from Gracia! She is waiting for me to come back!"

"Your wife Hughes?" Edward questioned, cocking a brow, smirking slightly.

"That's right! Our little Elicia is turning three this year! She's already riding her small bike! She is following her mom wherever she goes! Look! Isn't she like me?!"

he showed Edward a picture of her and kissed the letter. Edward sighed.

"I told you to give me information for it not to brag about it!" rolled eyes and finished his food.

Hughes turned serious again. Holding the letter in his hands and putting the photo back in his breast pocket.

"I guess I can't help it…this is the thing that keep my humanity, I guess"

Edward nodded in understanding.

"I guess everyone needs it!"

"You too Edward. You are still too young but…under these circumstances you would be happy to have wife and children"

Edward smiled a sad smile.

"We were supposed to get married this year during the Winter Festival…but it appears that things have changed!" said with bitter irony

Hughes looked at him.

"I see…it is never easy is it?"

"How can it be? I am leaving behind everything I loved the most! And the irony is that right now I feel ashamed to go back! They might call me a hero…while I am just a murderer!"

Hughes sighed and patted Edward's back to comfort him a little.

"Have faith Edward Elric! It is the only thing left for us! If God wishes it…"

"There is no such thing like God. Look at Ishbalans! They believe so deeply in their god and look where are they now! They are drowned in their own blood! They are against us! They are dying like us! What god would wish for such a faith?"

Hughes sighed again.

"This is not the will of some god. This is work from humans! Humans that are thirsty for riches and glory, Edward! God might not exist…or it might exist after all…but everything you see around you it is not the will of some god…this is all the work of man…the most dangerous creature on earth… Sometimes faith is something that can deliver those poor people…or even us…"

Hughes stood up taking the empty plate in his hands, he patted Edward's shoulder once and then left, leaving Edward alone to think a little. Edward was left alone near the fire, listening to the soft sounds the flames in front of him. He took a bite from his bread and remained in deep thought for a second. He took his watch out of his pocket and looked at it. He opened it to see the craving he had made before he entered the war of Ishbal. It reminded him to go back home…for himself…for Winry…for his mother…for everyone… He smiled a small smile remembering Hughes's words.

"This is work of man huh?" he whispered to himself.

And the night was moving again…it's endless journey.

* * *

**Here is another chapter! Edward's letter! I decided to try and enter Edward's mind and I guess this would be the way someone would feel if he entered the war in such an early age!**

**Also Trisha got sick! Inspired by episode 3 of FullMetal Alchemist Original Anime! I got inspired by that scene!**

**Also the reason that Roy was so kind to Edward! (and yes I got inspired by his feelings in FullMetal Alchemist 2003 anime)**

**The Winter Festival is supposed to be something like our Christmas! The next chappie is coming soon I hope!**


	4. Celebrating without you

The Elric house was full with light and human voices. It was finally the Winter Festival…the day when the family is gathered together and eats dinner. They tell their stories and have fun all together. Although, that year, a voice was missing…Edward Elric…. just like he had mentioned in his letter, he wasn't able to make it to the Winter Festival. He was still at war in Ishbal. They all missed him too much… The family was almost complete, though. There was Winry and her grandma Pinako Rockbell also Alphonse was there and Trisha. Trisha was still a bit sick. She was totally out of herself. She was thinner than she used to be and she was paler. Dark circles were under her eyes and she appeared feeling cold almost all the time… Like usual she was sitting by the fire in a chair with a shawl over her shoulders. She was looking straight to the fire. She rarely ever got out of the house anymore but she was still smiling to her little son when she saw him or when he talked to her. That day, the house was decorated with green leaves and candles and the gramophone was playing some soft song.

"Watch out! I am holding the dish!" Winry warned when she passed the disc over their heads taking them to the table.

She was beautiful this night. She was wearing her good dress, a black one that was sparkling at the area around her chest and reached above her thighs, and she had her blonde hair up in a bon. She looked really beautiful!

"If only Nii-san was here to see her…" he thought.

Alphonse knew that Edward and Winry were due to get married that Winter Festival…outside it was snowing…the nature was wearing her white dress…and they would get married then…but now he was in war…and they didn't know when or even if he was going to come back. He shook his head dismissing those thoughts. He wouldn't let those sad thoughts get in his head now.

"Well, well…I think everything is ready here…" Pinako said

"Okay!"

Winry turned her head towards the direction Trisha was sitting, with her well-known shawl around her shoulders, and went closer to her.

"Come on Ms. Elric…come on…it is time for dinner" she said softly touching her shoulders and helping her stand up.

Trisha smiled a small smile and followed them to the table. Right now…she seemed the oldest in there…she seemed even older than grandma-Pinako. The decease and the sadness had truly taken the best of her… They all sat there and started eating their wonderful festival-dinner and they were trying to be happy that day…to forget all the sadness they have been through during the past months… And later on it was time they brought the dissert and the delicious pudding to the table and Winry had baked an apple pie too. It was all too delicious. If only Edward was there! If only he could eat all this! It was as if he was there with them eating his second…or even his third piece of apple pie or the third dish! His seat was empty though…he wasn't there…he was far away…in Ishbal… They raised their glasses that contained warm jinn with lemon, even Alphonse had a small glass with a little drink in it…just for the occasion, and clinked their glasses together to wish all together

"Happy New Year" Winry said

"Happy New Year" Pinako agreed

"Yes…" Trisha whispered

"Happy New Year…" Alphonse said with a soft smile…

"And I hope next year…we will have Nii-san with us…" he thought…

* * *

Kilometers away, in Ishbal, you could hear laughter as well! The soldiers, dirty and tired by all the things they have been through, they were sitting around the campfires and they were laughing all together. They were holding their tin cups that were full with whiskey. It wasn't the best one, but it was a pleasant change in their everyday routine. Because it was the Winter Festival, someone had sent them big boxes full with cigarettes and bottles of whiskey so they could celebrate too. The cups were emptying and then re-full again and the soldiers were telling stories around the fire, while eating their humble dinner (potatoes with lard and some small pieces of meat). The night was calm and clear. The sky had a new moon and that allowed the thousands of stars shine and sparkle to the sky. It didn't matter if it was cold outside. The smell of the burning wood in the campfires was a calm change from the smell of blood and gunpowder they were used to smell. Some of them were singing softly, already tipsy or a bit drunk, while others were watching the others and they were laughing along with them. Right now they all seemed brothers. What did it matter if they were completely different? Some were brunettes, some others were blond, a few others had red hair and some others had black hair or no hair at all! Many of them had green eyes…others had black. A bunch of others had blue eyes…and others had gray. White or dark complexion…it didn't matter. They were all brothers tonight! War had connected them…they were brothers…

Even the wounded ones had gone out of the infirmary tents, if they weren't sick, and using pieces of wood as crutches or other things…having their heads and bodies wrapped in bloody bandages they had come out to sit along with their friends and have a drink themselves…to forget their pain for that night… They seemed carefree that night. They were laughing like old friends that had no fear or guilt inside them…as if they had forgotten that they had spent their months with killing people or following orders or trying to save their lives! Right now they felt optimistic. Maes Hughes was cheerful as always while he was drinking from his cup. No he wasn't drunk or anything! That was a natural thing to him! Roy was also sitting with him smiling at his jokes. Edward was sitting among other soldiers while drinking his own whiskey.

"Hay! Ed! Take it easy with the drink there! We don't want you dead drunk by tomorrow morning!" Hughes said jokingly.

Edward smiled.

"Alcohol doesn't affect me! Have no fear!"

As if he wanted to prove that, he poured some more in his cup. Hughes chuckled.

"My, my…you have a good liver then!"

"Hay! Elric! Why don't you play us something?" one soldier said

"Yeah! Come on Elric! Come on!" another said

"Oh…I dunno guys…" Edward said

"Oh come on! We wanna hear you!"

"Come on!"

"Come on!"

They were all asking for it.

"Oh, alright! Alright! Alright!" Edward finally agreed.

He leaned back and cut a small leaf from a near bush. Everyone went silent all of the sudden. They were all ready to listen as if they were expecting to hear some concert or something! Edward raised the leaf, he looked at it so it would be perfect with no holes and placed it to his mouth. He started blowing on it softly and it released a sound like a soft harmonica… He continued playing a soft but rather sad melody with his "instrument". It was soft and full of nostalgia…nostalgia for their homes and families that were waiting for them. Everyone was listening as if it was some magical sound or something. Some soldiers that had a nice singing voice had started murmuring the melody. To them…it was the only music they really wanted to hear…not the guns…not the yells of pain…not the battle cries…not the sound of Death…this was the music they wanted to hear… Some of them had tears in their eyes. They were tears of nostalgia…. perhaps tears of guilt also. Edward's music had filled their souls and hearts… The song finished and Edward lowered the leaf from his mouth. He slowly opened his eyes. He slowly smiled a small smile. Everyone started to applaud.

"Well done, Elric!"

"Well done!"

"Bravo!"

Some of them were patting him friendly to the back and some others were simply applauding.

"Where did you learn to do that?"

"In my hometown…in Risembool…my father taught me…when I was a child…"

New applauding…new happy tears…even Roy was smiling and it was obvious he was feeling touched… Hughes checked his watch to see that it was midnight.

"Well then…Happy New Year!" he said standing up, raising his cup, "And may we celebrate with our families next year!"

"Happy New Year!" everyone said and countless, tin cups clinked together.

Edward raised his own cup to the sky…to the starlight…

"Mom…Winry…Auntie…Alphonse…"

His smile was sad…his smile was nostalgic…

"…And also…"

The stars of an enemy land…for the first time the night was calm…

"…Father…"

It was a wish for everyone hiding in his heart…he raised the cup to his lips. He drank.

* * *

**As you can see Winter Festival is something like our Christmas! And when you have to celebrate with your loved ones, the family is seperated by war! Nothing more but another tender moment!**

**Yes Trisha is really sad for all this...**

**Also...the soldiers are celebrating on their own in Ishbal! I hope you liked it! Yes you can play music with a leaf! I can't do it yet but you can!**

**Please review me if you read this! (the song Edward is playing was inspired by FMA OST Koukai)**


	5. The Garden of Death

The sky was gray! The air smelled like gunpowder and fire! The battle was about to start at the land of Ishbal. It had been long enough they have been there at war. Everyone was tired…everyone wanted to go back home…people were saying that the war would come to an end some day…but even now…it seemed far from over…

Colonel Roy Mustang walked through the camp and walked to the big tent where the General Basque Grand was. He stepped in the tent and saluted.

"Sir! You demanded my presence."

Basque Grand, the tall, well built and tanned man, along with some other army officers, Hughes included, were bent over some maps and army plans. When Roy got in everyone raised his head to look at him.

"Colonel Roy Mustang!" he saluted back and then allowed him to lower his hand.

"What's going on, sir?"

"Today we are going to give an end to those Ishbalan dogs' existence!"

Roy's eyes widened for a brief second, taken aback.

"Sir…with all the respect, we are here for more than two years! Men got tired of listening to this! What is the thing that makes it different?"

"Flying machines from Central!"

Everyone seemed surprised and shocked.

"We are going to throw them bombs from above! Ishbalans don't have this technology! They won't be able even to yell for mercy! This time the victory is ours!"

Roy looked over Hughes for a second as if asking some kind of backup from him.

"But sir! If we send our troops against Ishbal and our flying machines come to set the bombs…we are all going to die! Are you sending us to a suicidal mission?"

"I am aware of the consequences, Roy Mustang. That's why the attack is going to be well-organized and when the airplanes and flying machines are at sight, Maes Hughes is going to signal to you so you will command your men to run back to safety!"

A drop of cold sweat ran down Roy's back.

"Sounds like a plan, sir…" he finally said.

"There is only one problem to that…"

"A problem, sir?"

"Yes. We have information that the Ishbalans are going to bring their heavy weapons by noon today!"

Roy felt fear, anger, wrath and indignation all at the same time.

"Then it is pure suicide to send my men out there!" he yelled, not being able to hold himself. "Every single one of them wants to return home, to their families and you are saying me to send them straight to their death!"

"Are you disobeying my orders Mustang?" the General raised his voice.

Roy stopped that instant and Hughes nodded his head as if telling him to stop and not argue any further. Roy lowered his head.

"No, sir! Forgive me, sir!" he said

Basque Grand seemed satisfied with that and then showed Mustang the map.

"The information we had been talking about the noon! Therefore we'll have to keep them distracted for our planes to be here and then we will bring them hell!"

"Unless they bring their heavy weapons earlier and we will all die like trapped rats!" Roy thought but he didn't dare to say that aloud.

"We will also need a man that is fast enough to go in the enemy's area deeper and blow some buildings up with grenades. We will cut their communication completely and he will have in mind the tanks just in case they come earlier, he would signal us! Do you have in mind someone Colonel Mustang?"

Roy would have hoped that the General wouldn't have asked him that question! Because he knew one person fast and able enough to do this task, since their previous man was now fatally injured! He stood there, silent not being able to utter the name. He had grown to like, no, love the kid…he didn't want to send him straight in the fire!

"Well?" the General's patience seemed to be running out.

Roy gulped but showed no emotion.

"I have one man in mind sir."

"Name?"

Roy Mustang gulped again. His throat was dry.

"Edward Elric"

* * *

Edward splashed some water on his face and shook his head to lift the water away. He heard footsteps approaching him and raised his head. He saw Roy coming with two Majors behind him. Even though he liked addressing him as friend, he knew that he had to act with all the formalities in front of other officers. He saluted him.

"Colonel! How can I help you?"

Roy saluted back.

"General Basque Grand demanded your presence immediately!"

Edward raised a brow but followed.

"It appears that we are going back home soon…" Roy was saying while walking.

Then smiled a bitter smile and added:

"…Or meet our maker!"

Inside the tent Edward saluted again presenting himself. The General looked at him from top to bottom.

"Has Colonel informed you on your way here?"

"Yes, sir!"

"So there is nothing more to discuss! You will take that position when the battle starts! Mustang will lead you to the spot you will start and then you're alone! Understood?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Any questions?"

"No, sir!"

"Dismissed!"

Edward saluted once again and then exited the tent along with Mustang.

"Arrogant bastard!" he mumbled through clenched teeth.

Roy next to him smirked.

"I couldn't agree more!" he said.

Edward looked at him.

"What's this all about Roy? Why do they want us to go to battle?"

"It appears that flying machines are going to bombard the Ishbalans! It will probably end in no time…"

"But then…they are gonna hit us too if we are in the area!" Edward got pallid.

"Indeed…not to mention that we might get trapped by the tanks and heavy weapons the Ishbalans might bring! We must go there to keep them distracted and when the time is right, run away from the area before the massacre starts and hope that neither of the two will happen to us…or else we are all history!"

Edward clenched his teeth and fists but he knew that now there was no going back from neither of them…for none of them actually… That day they would indeed go back home…or to meet their maker…

* * *

The air was blowing the blood-colored sand below their feet…all Amestris army was there in order looking right in front of them. You could only see determination in their eyes…however that determination was hiding…hidden fear… Hundreds of meters away…they could see the Ishbalans being in order too! They seemed ready to fight to the death! They could feel their red eyes stuck on them…glaring them with hate and anger…and they were glaring them back…as if only the looks could kill… Their hearts that were bounding in union seemed like battle drums. The guns were thirsty for human blood…the bullets wanted to sink in human hearts. Colonel Roy Mustang was in front of everyone and turned to his men.

"Get ready for the battle! If it is written we will get back to our homes soon! And if we die, we will die with pride!" he told them

The heartbeats increased! Now it was "all or nothing"

"For Amestris!" Roy yelled raising his fist to the air

"For Amestris!" everyone yelled raising their fists in union and then…

…And then everyone sluiced out like a mad river! Everyone running like having one heart…one soul…and the enemies did the same! The desert got full with people running like the aunts running out of their holes! The desert took colors! There was a wild beauty to that scenery! And then the gunshots started! The guns and pistols were firing at will! Pained moans were echoing! Bodies were falling at the spot! Blood was spurting out like fountains out of the bodies! The blood was flowing on the land…the desert was drawing it like a thirsty man that is sucking the water! The buildings of the near town were on fire…rocks were falling! The ground was rumbling and some explosion happened when some unlucky soldier stepped over a hidden landmine! Bodies were falling when some sniper was shooting from his hiding place! Meanwhile Edward and Roy ran behind a destroyed building's remaining. Roy looked at Edward that had the grenades at his belt! Roy made some signals with his arms to "tell" Edward where to go. Edward nodded in understanding. His eyes narrowed in determination. He prepared himself and…rushed forward while running straight to the enemy side.

"Good luck kid…" Roy mumbled seeing him off.

On the run, Edward removed one grenade from his belt and using his teeth to remove its safety clip and threw it to the nearby building. He kept running…never stopped as the explosions were rumbling behind him…and he kept running…doing his job…

Meanwhile in battlefield the same thing was happening. Edward kept doing what was doing till he saw an enemy before him! Wasting no time he jumped on him, grabbed his head…and with a determined and sharp move he broke his neck! He removed another safety clip when another Ishbalan rushed on him! The grenade fell from his hand! They started fighting, Edward using his martial arts abilities. He took a glance with the corner of his eye! The grenade was still there! They would both blow in small pieces! He swiftly punched the opponent to the face, and grabbing the nearby wall, he climbed on it just in time before the grenade exploded! Taking a breath he looked forward to the other side of the wall he was standing on. He could see only a cloud of dust. He narrowed his eyes to see… Something was coming…something big… Suddenly color left his face as he saw what he feared! Ishbalan tanks! And big ones! They had brought the heavy weapons earlier!

"They brought their heavy weapons earlier!" he monologized in terror. "Dammit!"

Then a gunshot was heard and a bullet found him on the top of his right arm! He fell from the small wall but stood up immediately, holding his wounded arm, and started to run back. When he saw Mustang he yelled waving his arm over his head:

"Colonel!"

Mustang saw him approaching running waving his arm and then he got pallid as well seeing the tanks approaching!

"Retreat!" he screamed!

And then all Amestris army started to run back…retreating in a state of total panic! With swift moves, Edward tore a piece of a dead man's shirt and wrapped it tightly around his wounded arm before joining the others running. The large bombshells were rumbling and exploding all around the panicked Amestris army. While running he looked over his back and saw Mustang cornered by an Ishbalan.

"Colonel!" he exclaimed.

Making a half-turn he started running towards Roy, bent down (still running) and picked a gun on the ground and armed it, never stopping, hoping that it would have at least one bullet inside! He was lucky! He stopped, he aimed and then he shot. The Ishbalan fell dead with the bullet in his forehead. Mustang barely had time to look at him before both keep running away! They dove to the ground to avoid one explosion.

* * *

Meanwhile Hughes was doing Herculean efforts to communicate with the pilots of the airplanes' using the phone.

"Come on! Come on captain! Answer the damn phone…we're dying here! Come on!"

The connection seemed impossible.

* * *

Meanwhile Edward and Roy were still running and they got hidden behind a destroyed wall, sometimes shooting at the upcoming enemies. Around them they could see only dead bodies…only blood…only death…

"Well, Colonel…it appears that it has come our end after all!" Edward said

"Yeah…" Roy agreed with a sad smile patting Edward to the shoulder.

* * *

And Hughes kept "battling" with the phone trying to communicate

"Come on…answer it!.."

And his face lit up when he heard something!

"Yes!"

He stood up and took two lamps and started waving them over his head doing the signal. Roy raised his head and saw it! His face lit up!

"They are coming! They are coming Edward!"

The two exhausted men clapped their hands in a small celebrating move.

"Elric! Go and tell the others! I'll stay here to distract them! Tell them to go away before the bombs destroy us too!"

"Yes, sir!" Edward saluted and ran to the others!

The others saw him and expected the worst and then Edward yelled to them three words with a smile.

"They are coming!"

And everyone started yelping happily jumping up in joy!

"You idiots! Run for your lives!" Edward yelled to them but he was smiling…like a little kid that won the football tournament!

The soldiers started to run but now they were not yelling in terror…they were yelling happily! They would go home! They reached their camp! They would be safe! Edward saw Hughes waiting him with a smile. He patted his back friendly

"Well done kid!"

Edward smiled warmly.

"Thank you…"

Then he looked around. Someone was missing!

"Where is Colonel?"

Hughes's smile fell and looked towards the battlefield's direction.

"He is still out there…trying to hold them back…"

"What?!" Edward yelled! "The airplanes are due to destroy every rock with the bombs and he is still there?!"

He did a half turn and then he saw them…the sky was full of them! The machines that were making the sky look black! Right now to Edward there were no reasons to celebrate anymore! They were monsters! They were death itself! He was looking at them terrified, unable to take his eyes off them! Then he came to his senses! That place was going to be turned into hell…and Roy was still there! With no hesitation he jumped forward!

"Edward!" Hughes had managed to yell.

Edward was running…jumping over dead bodies and fallen rocks! He would find him! He had to find him! And he did! He was trapped under a fallen wall! His leg was under it!

"Colonel!" he screamed and ran to him.

He kneeled down and shook him to see if he was alive.

"Colonel! Colonel!"

Roy raised his head and looked at him.

"Elric? What are you doing here?"

"Not now!"

He grabbed a long wood and put it under the fallen wall. Using it as a lever he tried to raise it up! His face got red from the effort! He clenched his teeth! The wound on his shoulder opened worse and a small slit over his eyebrow re-opened. A drop of blood ran down his cheek! He finally set him free! He grabbed Colonel's arm and wrapped it around his neck! Then supporting him, he started walking back to the camp! They were going slowly though…tormenting slowly… Bombs were exploding around them

"Elric!" Roy said in authoritative voice "There will be no point if we both die! Let me and save yourself! I don't have a fiancée to go back to!"

"I decline!" Edward said like a stubborn kid!

"Dammit, Edward! I said put me down and save yourself! That's an order!"

"Then sir…you'll have to execute me later…cause I have no intention…to leave you here!" Edward said between his heavy panting!

Sweat was running over his body! Blood was running on his face and arm…and he kept going… Back at the camp they saw them coming! Edward still limping he put Roy to the ground panting heavily.

"Well done my boy! Well done!" Hughes patted his back

"Help!" a small kid's voice was heard!

Edward turned his head and his eyes widened! A small Ishbalan kid…at the age of his first victim was trapped under a building's rocks! He was ready to run when Roy grabbed his arm!

"Where are you going! Are you crazy! Do you want to die!" he yelled

"I must save him!"

"Stop playing the hero! There is no hope for him now!"

Edward glared him.

"You told me to save my last humanity! I won't let another person to die!"

Colonel was so shocked that his hand fell to the ground and Edward ran there! After a second he reached the kid.

"Don't be afraid! I will save you!" he said offering his hand to the kid.

He pulled the small boy up and held it in his arms tightly. The small creature grabbed him as if his soul would leave his body if he didn't! Edward, holding him with both arms started to run back.

"I will save him! I will not allow another life to be lost when I can save it!" he was thinking, "As long as I can…I will not allow another child to die!"

His golden hair was loose, falling to his shoulders…he was clenching his teeth…sweat was running to his body…blood was running to his face…

"Just a little longer…we're almost there…"

The bombs were exploding all around! He had his body protectively over the child. His breath was at his mouth! Everyone was walking in agony.

"Come on kid!"

"Come on Edward!"

"Well done!"

"Edward!"

"Edward!"

"Edward!"

Suddenly Edward stepped over something! He barely had time to look down with wide eyes before the ground rumbled and then…it came up at him in a huge explosion!

"Edward!" everyone yelled in union seeing the explosion.

And then…his body was thrown at their feet…bloody…torn…

"Edward!" everyone ran over him.

Edward was lieing on his back…dirty…in dirt and his own blood…where his legs where there was only blood…one of his legs was missing…some blood was coming out of his ears and mouth…his face was dirty with blood…his right arm was soulless like a bloody rug. His beautiful hair was now sticky with blood…his eyes were seeing everything and nothing…

"Edward!…Stay with us kid!…Stay with us!…"

The voices above him…seemed so distant…but his mind seemed strangely calm…what happened? He saw Mustang…the Colonel…he had to salute…but his arm wouldn't listen…his fingers barely twitched. A red fog was over his eyes. The voices were lost around him…they were above him…and they seemed scared…

"Ed!"

"Edward!"

"Elric! Edward!"

"Ed!"

His heart was beating slowly…he was feeling the warm, metal-smelling liquid all over his body…it was nice…and warm…maybe Winry would come now…and Al… and Mom… He couldn't listen…he started not to feel… His eyelids seemed….so heavy that he couldn't keep them open…and then…darkness swallowed him…

"**EDWAAAAAARD!"**

* * *

**_Here is another chapter...I know it is sad... But I wanted to show how terrible the war can be!_**

**_The last day of War of Ishbal! The scene with the airplanes and stuff was inspired by the episodes 49-50 of the original FullMetal Alchemist series! It must be terrifying be under them!_**

**_Yes...Edward stepped over a landmine! And no...unfortunately the kid was not saved!_**


	6. Reunion

Alphonse Elric was walking alone in the countryside of Risembool. It was a calm, spring day. It would soon be summer. The sun was shining and the breeze was warm but not burning human flesh…just like it always was… Alphonse sighed and ran his hands through his long hair. Yes. It has been two years already since Edward had left for war. During that time Alphonse had started lengthening his hair. He hadn't cut them again since then and now they were long till his shoulder blade. He was usually holding them up in a ponytail. He didn't know why but he felt like honoring his brother this way…as if like this…a part of him would be with him always…always… It had been months since the last time he received a letter from his brother! He didn't know why! Why wasn't he writing him back anymore? Where was he? Was he alright? Was he even alive? Lots of things happened there indeed… Grandma Pinako died recently and it was a great loss to everyone. Winry was sure really sad with it! Not only she didn't know where her fiancée was, but also now she had now lost her only family member left! At the funeral she was trying hard not to cry. She wasn't crying her heart out but she was barely sobbing softly and the tears that she was trying to hold were falling from her eyes warm and salty. She was really strong, Alphonse had thought. She was really strong and independent woman! If only Edward could see her and be proud of her! If only he was there, to wrap his arms around her and comfort her! Alphonse sighed. It wad been a long time since the last time he received a letter indeed… Recently…they had heard in the radio that the war was over! Ishbal had been defeated! Everyone seemed happy! But not Alphonse… He knew from his brother's letters how terrible the war was! The only thing that made him happy: the fact that Edward would be coming back! He was looking forward to it every day…every moment… The first train came and everyone ran to the station to see their loved ones! Soldiers came out of the train and they ran to their families! Alphonse was feeling his heart bounding in his chest! His brother would come! His brother! His big brother! He would be back! He was running among people, he was pushing them aside so he could reach the train! When he reached it he waited there, waiting for Edward to come! Dozens of soldiers got down, others injured and others healthy as horses! The most terrible thing was that along with them…some people were carrying someone's sack and ID pendant and gave them to the relative…and then he or she started to cry! Alphonse was feeling like fainting but he stayed there! The hours were passing and no Edward came out of the train! He was waiting there, nevertheless…waiting to see him at the door…with his golden hair waving with the station air…see him smiling or grinning…see him waving to him and then hear him say "hello" and then ask what's for dinner tonight! He wanted then to rush in his arms and cry…cry like never before…hug him and beg him not to leave ever again…however…the evening came and all the passengers had left…the train's doors closed and the train left… Alphonse remained there, without being able to talk…not even to breathe! He wasn't there! Edward wasn't there! He must have overslept and lost the train! Yes! That was it! He missed the first train! Perhaps he would come with the second one that would come next morning! However…a voice inside him was whispering, "what if he won't come himself but someone else would bring his sack and ID pendant or even his dead body? Or a piece of it?!" he was immediately shaking his head to lift that thought away…and then he walked away from the station…leaving his eyes to cry…his tears to fall freely…

The next noon he was there again! And there was the train! He ran there again! The same feelings…the same agony…the same long hours…and the same fruitless effort… Edward wasn't there…wasn't among them… Next train was the same…the next the same…Edward wasn't there…

Alphonse had stopped going there anymore…he couldn't hold back his tears anymore. He was afraid to go there now. He didn't want to go there, to wait for hours with his heart bounding like the war drum that took his big brother away from him! He didn't want see the others having their loved one back! He couldn't bear seeing others crying over someone lost forever…lost in the fire of war… And there he was now…walking at the path he knew so well…the path he was walking along with his brother…the path that leaded him home. Home? Even home was making him feel awful as well! His mother, Trisha was all the sadder! Every time he was returning home she was jumping up from her armchair only to see to her greatest disappointment, that Alphonse was alone one more time. Then Al would smile a fake smile and would tell her

"Maybe tomorrow…"

Then Trisha would simply sigh and then fall to her armchair again…she would put her face in her hands and she would start to cry…and then Alphonse ran upstairs not bearing to see his mother crying anymore! He was always thinking this:

"Why had all this happen to us?"

Now he was walking in that path. It had been a month…no, two months since the day he heard about the war end! So where was he? Where was his brother? Right now he was wishing at least to know the truth! Any kind of truth would be delivering for his soul! He just couldn't bear not knowing anymore! Soon he saw the riverbank. He had to pass next to it anyway. Then…suddenly he stopped. His eyes got stuck to the riverbank. For a second he thought that he had been going crazy! That he was seeing things! But no! That golden hair…long was shining in the morning sun…that…way…of sitting there…there was no doubt! There, by the riverbank…there was a wheelchair…and on it a man was sitting gazing towards the river with his back turned to him. No! It wasn't a dream! It was reality! It was he!

"Nii-san!" he screamed and he couldn't hold back his tears.

His feet gained wings as he ran to him…as he was leaving diamond tears behind him! The man turned his head around to reveal that beautiful face with the pair of eyes that looked like melted gold! It was he! It was Edward! He was wearing a long-sleeve white, cotton shirt and white cotton pants. He seemed paler than before while his golden hair seemed longer and a bit duller than he remembered, and they were loose on his shoulders…neither in a ponytail nor braid but it was he! Edward smiled a soft smile seeing his little brother running.

"Al…" he whispered.

Alphonse ran and grabbed him in his arms squeezing him tightly! He wasn't a ghost! He was flesh and blood! He was really…Edward!

"Nii-san! Nii-san! Nii-san!" he was saying…

He was squeezing him as if he wanted to crush him! As if his own soul would leave his body unless he held him tighter! Edward smiled a small smile and wrapped his left arm around his little brother.

"Alphonse…" he whispered, "I am home…"

Alphonse's tears only increased.

"It is you! It is really you! I thought I would never see you again! Nii-san! My dear Nii-san! I found you! You came back! Nii-san!"

Then…something didn't seem right…he was touching him but…something seemed to be missing. He pulled back from the embrace and gasped in shock! One of the sleeves was hanging there, empty…and one of the pants was also empty…his left leg…his right arm…were missing! He looked at him terrified but Edward's smile was calm…as if nothing happened…

"How much…you have grown…" he whispered and his left hand touched his brother's cheek. "I am so glad…"

Alphonse's throat was dry! He didn't know what to say! He had trouble even to swallow!

"H-How…what happened…why…"

Edward was smiling…calmly…as if he had seen the true light…as if he was in paradise! He ran his fingers through Al's long hair.

"You are lengthening your hair too…it is beautiful…"

"Nii-san…"

Alphonse knew that no words needed! He hugged him again! No arm, no leg, no nothing it didn't matter now! All it mattered was that he was there now! He let his tears fall shocking his brother's shirt.

"I am sorry…I was so late…" Edward whispered again.

Alphonse nuzzled to his brother's neck. His scent…his warm body…his eyes…he just couldn't believe it! He couldn't believe that he had him back! He pulled back again. Edward looked at the sky and inhaled a deep breath.

"I am home…" he whispered more to himself than to anyone else, "No smoke…no gunpowder…no fire…no blood…just…clean air…"

The river that was flowing peacefully in front of them was sparkling by the sun…and the birds were singing… Edward closed his eyes to hear those wonderful calm sounds. He was feeling some cool drops of water on his face. He had his eyes closed…enjoying the soft feeling as if he was born just a few minutes ago. As if it was all new to him.

"So calm…it is wonderful…"

Alphonse was waiting next to him not saying a word. He wanted to leave his brother in his thoughts. Edward leaned back to his wheelchair and put his hand at the place where his right arm used to be. Then he looked in Alphonse's eyes and smiled a small smile saying:

"I am sorry that you'll have to push me home…"

Alphonse smiled to him and then said:

"Hay, this is what brothers are for!"

Edward looked at him and smiled.

"Yes…" he barely said.

Alphonse went behind him and started to push the wheelchair up to the hill. They went to the path and they started heading home…together…finally together… Edward was sitting in his wheelchair having his eyes closed…feeling the breeze in his skin and hair…feeling his homeland around him…filling his lungs with fresh air…air that didn't contain blood, gunpowder, fire or smoke…air that didn't contain death… A small tear ran down his eye…that sparkled like small diamond in the sunlight…

He was home…

* * *

**Another chappie ready! I am happy I finished this! I know I am getting boring but...anyway another emotional one!**

**Alphonse has grown his hair like in Shaballa movie. Nothing more to add! He is back! And he has lost an arm and leg! One more chapter to finish! Please review! For Edward!**


	7. Everything ends in Light

_Nii-san apologized to me for not writing me back for so long… He told me that he was for weeks in bed with extremely high fever from his infected wounds. He also told me that his right arm was in an awful condition so the doctor had to cut it off. It was there when his wounds got infected. He was, he says, for weeks on the bed all sweaty perhaps talking nonsense or calling names in his fever or having terrifying nightmares…at least that was what the doctors told him… He was in that an awful condition, that doctors said that it would be too risky to move him from where he was…that's why he was one of the last ones that left along with other wounded. Later on, when the fever became lower, he realized that he had gone deaf by the explosion of the landmine. He had to communicate with signals .He didn't speak either because he was afraid he would yell too much due to his lack of hearing ability! So he apologized again…for being late again… He told me that he was grateful of a good friend he had by his side…Colonel Mustang. After some more weeks his hearing ability started coming back so he was able to speak properly. Right after that he said that he demanded to come back with the first train…and he apologized again…that they were late to take him off the train and bring his wheelchair to the riverbank. However nothing mattered to me now…cause I knew…that he was back to us at last…_

Trisha was standing at the house's entrance when she saw the two young men coming there…she couldn't believe it! The man in the wheelchair…was Edward! She ran and hugged him so tightly that she had the impression that she would draw him back in her body this time! Edward smiled and wrapped his arm around her as well. Trisha pulled back and her eyes were watery! She grabbed his empty sleeve and looked at him as if questioning him what happened! Edward just smiled a sad smile. Then Winry that was sitting next to Trisha ran there too and kissed Edward on the lips passionately while her hand was on his cheek. Edward only kissed her back with even more passion…he was happy he was there again…with his family and fiancée! He was away from war now!

_Nii-san spent most of his time with us! He was always telling us the funny stories he had heard from the other soldiers! It was hard to stop laughing! He made it look like war wasn't back at all! As if they only spent their time laughing around the campfire!_

Edward made a funny expression while telling them one of his stories and everyone burst out laughing…including Edward himself!

_He made it look as if nothing had happened those terrible years! He never talked us about what happened in the War Zone…and to be honest we never asked him either! It must have been too painful for him even to remember about it! I heard him crying and having nightmares in his sleep many times. He never spoke about it and we never asked him and we didn't care either! He was there with us now and that was all that it mattered! Nor the war…nor what he has done was something that bothered us! Nii-san has confessed to us that he has done…many things at war and he apologized again but we answered that we would care less about that now! The only thing we wanted was a brother and a son…a family member…and now we had him back!_

Maes Hughes waved at them while climbing the hill and he was holding a little girl by the hand! Also he was followed by Mustang who was walking using a walking stick. Little Elicia ran laughing at them and Alphonse raised her in his arms laughing as well, while Edward was also laughing from his wheelchair. Roy had a small smile on his face while he was approaching them and Edward greeted them both, warmly…

_Maes Hughes and his little daughter Elicia came to visit us quite often and sometimes General Roy Mustang was coming along too. He was also declared a war hero, like Nii-san, and he was promoted from Colonel to General. Nii-san was always too friendly at them and he used to call Roy "Colonel" instead of General. Just for the old times. Roy had broken his leg during that day, as Nii-san told me. His bones were seriously crushed but now he was getting better and better and the bones were getting in place really well! They used to sit in the living room all three of them while talking about the old days or smoke a cigarette once in a while for the old times… A massage came to my brother asking him to accept a metal for his heroism and join the army as a soldier with really good salary but Nii-san refused. He said he had enough of the war for a lifetime and that he had no intention gain this kind of glory if it was to kill people in another war. Therefore he received only a quite big amount of money but nevertheless he didn't want anything more! We were all happy to hear his decision. For two long years we were waiting for a family member to come back! We didn't want a soldier or a hero. We wanted someone from the family! Edward seemed happy and content with his decision! Later on he told Winry that he wanted to be equipped with auto-mail with that money! He said that he wanted to walk again…to have two limbs that he would be able to use…also he told her that he wanted to be equipped only by her and no one else! He wanted to be her very first exclusively hers job! Winry accepted…_

Edward growled in pain and was clenching his teeth…he was biting his lip or clenching his fist in pain as the auto-mail surgery was progressing. There were many gadgets on a table next to him and also the parts of his auto-mail. He was doing his best not to scream because of the extremely strong pain he was receiving by the surgery but he was determined to walk again…even if there was the slightest possibility he could still use the nerves…then he would do it! Winry was running and sometimes wiping some sweat from her forehead as she was equipping her fiancée with her best work…the latest state-of-art auto-mail she could create!… The metal fingers twitched…twitched and finally the fist clenched with determination!

Alphonse was walking outside in the countryside and stopped for a second to look up at the clean, blue sky with a smile on his lips.

_Many things happened…and I know that many things will happen again and again in the future…human nature never learns…they will kill and they will get killed again but I know that this adventure has ended for us for now. My brother has come back at last… He and Winry said that they would be getting married soon and Nii-san surprised us saying that he and Winry decided that they want to become parents after they get married! Mom is getting better and better in her health…as if she never had that terrible shock of loosing her eldest son…as if nothing has ever happened! I must not mention how much she got happy when she heard that Winry and Edward wanted to make her a grandchild! Yes…everything is moving now normally…as if nothing happened…but I know it happened…and I know it will happen again… Humans make mistakes and unfortunately the make them again…and I know deep in my heart that at least now…everything will end in the light…_

* * *

"Edward! Alphonse!" Trisha called for them from the door of the house one hot, sunny day.

"They are not here Ms Elric" Winry said who was passing by carrying a big, wooden box with several gadgets for auto-mail "They went to the riverbank this morning. They said that they had something to do. They will be back soon, though!"

"Is that so?" Trisha smiled

She looked over the hills down at the beautiful village of Risembool and smiled.

"Edward…" she whispered.

Edward kicked and Alphonse blocked! Once more Edward hit completely expecting that move from his brother! However Alphonse was ready too! They were smiling…they were having fun… Their long hair were waving in the air and shining with sweat under the summer sun! It was waving in a wind of gold and brownish gold! Edward leaped and Alphonse kicked! The speed was great that it would be difficult to follow it with your eyes! Kick! Block! Block and Punch! Block and Leap! Two metal limbs were glowing in the summer sun! Edward was grinning and Alphonse was smiling brightly. Two bodies moving in perfect harmony with each other! Two souls that were meeting through this art of movements'… They were both back to their old life…they were both children again…they were both finally reviving what they used to do so frequently in the past… Two bodies moving in perfect harmony with each other… Block and Hit! Hit Block and Kick! Golden eyes opposing hazel ones! One last move and Edward blocked another hit with his flesh arm. They remained there looking at each other smiling… At last… They were back to their normal lives again…

* * *

**Here is the very last chappie of this fanfic! Thank you so much for reading and honoring me with your comments! Here the _italics_ are Alphonse's point of view while he is narrating things... You can imagine the images of this chapter happening at the same time with Alphonse's narration like an anime epologue or something!**

**I hope you liked it! Thank you for reading it till the end! And thenk you for your wonderful reviews so far! Please review!**


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